釋氏稽古略 1.568

1.568

魏　庚辰年正月。帝見威權日去。不勝其忿。五月召侍中王沈。尚書王經。散騎常侍王業謂曰。司馬昭之心。路人所知也。吾不能坐受廢辱。今日當與卿自出討之。王經曰。昔魯昭公不忍季氏敗走失國為天下笑。今權在其門為日久矣。陛下一旦如此。無乃欲除疾而更深之邪。禍殆不測宜見重詳。帝乃出懷中黃素投地曰。行之決矣。遂拔劍升輦。率殿中宿衛蒼頭官僮鼓譟而出。中護軍賈充自外入。逆與帝戰於南闕下。太子舍人成濟問充曰。事急矣當云何。充曰。司馬公畜養汝等。正為今日。濟即抽戈刺帝殞於車下。壽二十歲。昭入殿中召群臣會議。尚書左僕射陳泰不至。昭使其舅尚書荀顗召之。泰入見悲慟。昭亦對之泣曰。玄伯卿何以處我。泰曰。獨有斬賈充少可以謝天下耳。昭久之曰。卿更思其次。泰曰。泰言惟有進於此。不知其次。昭乃不復。更言。太后下令罪狀高貴鄉公廢為庶人。收王經及其家屬付廷尉。經謝其母。母怡然笑而應曰。人誰不死。正恐不得其所。以此并命何恨之有。太傅司馬孚等。請以王禮葬高貴鄉公。太后許之。使中護軍司馬炎迎燕王宇之子常道鄉公璜於鄴。為明帝嗣。六月太后詔常道鄉公。更名奐即皇帝位。時年十五。

Wei: In the first month of the gengchen year, the Emperor saw that his authority was fading by the day and could no longer bear his anger. In the fifth month, he summoned the Palace Attendant Wang Shen, the Department of State Affairs Minister Wang Jing, and the Sanqi Attendant Wang Ye, and told them: 'The intentions of Sima Zhao are known even to the man on the street! I cannot sit by and accept deposition and humiliation. Today, I shall personally go forth with you gentlemen to launch an expedition against him!'

Wang Jing said: 'In the past, Duke Zhao of Lu could not tolerate the Ji clan, ended up defeated and fled, losing his state to become the laughingstock of all under Heaven. Now power has been in his household for a long time. If Your Majesty acts like this overnight, would it not be wanting to remove an illness only to make it deeper? The disaster is unpredictable; it ought to be reconsidered carefully.'

The Emperor took out a piece of yellow silk from his bosom, threw it to the ground, and said: 'My resolution to act is made!' He then drew his sword, mounted his carriage, and led the imperial bodyguards, servants, and palace boys forth while shouting and beating drums.

Jia Chong, Central Army Protector, entered from outside and fought against the Emperor under the Southern Watchtower. Cheng Ji, the Crown Prince's Palace Attendant, asked Chong: 'The situation is dire; what should we do?'

Chong said: 'Duke Sima raised and maintained you people precisely for today!'

Ji immediately drew his dagger-axe, stabbed the Emperor, and he died under the chariot at the age of twenty.

Zhao entered the palace and summoned the ministers to deliberate. Chen Tai, Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, did not arrive. Zhao sent his maternal uncle, Minister Xun Yi, to summon him. When Tai entered, he wept with grief. Zhao also wept facing him and said: 'Xuanbo, how will you dispose of me?'

Tai said: 'Only by decapitating Jia Chong can you slightly apologize to the world.'

After a long while, Zhao said: 'Sir, think of what is next to that.'

Tai said: 'I have only words beyond this, but know nothing inferior to this.' Zhao said no more.

The Empress Dowager issued an edict denouncing the crimes of the Duke of Gaoguixiang and deposing him to the status of a commoner. Wang Jing and his family were arrested and sent to the Commandant of Justice. Jing apologized to his mother, but his mother smiled contentedly and replied: 'Who does not die? One only fears not dying in one's proper place. To sacrifice our lives together for this, what regret could there be?'

Grand Tutor Sima Fu and others requested to bury the Duke of Gaoguixiang with the rites of a prince, and the Empress Dowager consented. She sent the Central Army Protector Sima Yan to welcome Huang, the Duke of Changdaoxiang and son of Yu, the Prince of Yan, in Ye to serve as the heir to Emperor Ming. In the sixth month, the Empress Dowager issued an edict to change the name of the Duke of Changdaoxiang to Huan and have him ascend the imperial throne at the age of fifteen.